Timeline

Sir Real was founded by Modern Pop Artist & Businessman MICHAEL ALBERT.

Upon graduating from NYU's School of Business & Public Administration in 1988, Albert started his first company, Gold Coast Enterprises, a specialty food distribution company selling Lingonberry juice with 2 schoolmates. Then, in 1991, he set out on his own to found a Natural Food Distribution company called Tri-State Natural Foods and began selling & distributing new age brands to the specialty & natural food trade in the greater NY Metro area.

A few years later he decided to create his own brand and in 1993, he started Sir Real TM, a line of All Natural/Organic fruit juices for which he came up with the idea of the brand and created all of the original art, designed the labels, and today still owns & operates the company. Sir Real was re-launched in 2002 as a refrigerated juice line sold in the Dairy & Produce Departments of upscale supermarkets & grocery stores consisting of THE BEST POSSIBLE VERSIONS OF CLASSIC JUICES such as Orange Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Apple Cider & Lemonade.....

The Sir Real labels feature a family of characters, which are Albert's hand-drawn, surreal-inspired "eye-cons". These not only appear on the labels, but have become a special series of his art over the years & he has created hundreds of original Sir Realistic artworks including drawings, paintings, doodles, poems, Shrinky Dinks, hand-painted pottery, and other miscellaneous media.

"Sir Real is my "Peanuts*", as he has described it. "A family of characters who are my alter-ego and unique way of conveying messages & making statements."

Albert's OTHER ART consists in large part of COLLAGES made from Cereal boxes (Cerealism) & other famous consumer packages & in which he has included (and given starring roles) to many of his Sir Real characters in his most well-known collages including such titles as: The Pledge of Allegiance, The Signing of the Declaration of Independence, To Be or Not To Be, The Last Breakfast and many others.

Being true to the art, Sir Real allocates its marketing budget to supporting the arts in a number of ways. The company strives to offer artisanal juices to connoisseurs and naturalists the world over.

Sir Real strives to stay true to the art & in the process creating the best products out there...Our slogans convey our commitment to excellence and our deepest hopes "Eye have A Dream" that through our business activities & the things we do in our everyday lives "Life is a Formal Occasion", we make a positive contribution to the world, we make a difference, we matter, we tried to do our duty to the best we knew how "Do the Ripe Thing" and we didn't sell out our integrity no matter what....By doing this we hope to inspire others to create & follow their own ideas of the American Dream, and enjoy the process! "Follow YOUR Art"

Met Leo Castelli at his gallery in SoHo, showed him the collages, Castelli said, “Looks like a good start”

Earth Day New York benefit at Andy Warhol’s last Factory location. Auctioned off Digital Fine Art Print (Giclee) on canvas of collage portrait of Andy Warhol to benefit Earth Day-New York. Worked with Laura Wapnick, Pamela Lippe & Louis Lanza. This print & original frame was lost in transit to the person who bought it…

5 year long exhibit set up at Hay Day Country Farm Market, Westport, CT “Serialism: CereaIism & Sir Realism” featuring 7 original cereal box collages whose selection was changed every 2/3 months, after 2 years put up Flag collages which remained up till Jan. 2004 and which will results in the book deal with Henry Holt in 2004 for “An Artist’s America” (Christy Ottaviano-Editor).

November 1999 - January 2000“Modern Pop Art Show” at D’Agostino Supermarkets. A series of seven posters and postcards were produced , displayed and distributed at all 25 D’ag locations for a seven week period. The show was advertised in the D’Ag store circular (250,000 per week) and on the radio. Corporate sponsors and participants besides D’Ag included American Express, Coca Cola, Frito Lay, General Mills, Nabisco, Nestle, and Procter & Gamble.

First Silkscreen Posters produced, Americus Flag 1999(Coca Cola Red, Oreos blue) on white and on black, editions of 49 with 1 A.P. , on white canvas edition of 3, collaboration with John “Crash”Matos (flag on black with Crash drawing) edition of 7

June –Sept

Cow Parade 2000. A life size fiberglass cow, “Miss Moo York” was painted by Albert in his Sir Realistic style. It was part of the Cow Parade herd which was a public art project that took place in the Summertime. The Cow was at Central Park South & 6th Avenue(June-Sept)

Began working as a Private Label & Marketing consultant for D’Agostino Supermarkets

Created an original collage on wood presented to Prince Phillipe & Princess Mathilde of Belgium as part of a Belgian promotion for D’Agostino . Original was purchased by the Belgian Consulate. Photo of artwork being presented to the royal couple by Walter D’Agostino in Progressive Grocer magazine.

October

The Last Breakfast Limited Edition poster produced (approx. 1500)

November

Frere NY Independent Art Fair at Chelsea Inn. November 15, 16, 17, 18

December

Empire State Building Limited Edition Poster produced (Edition of 1000)

Art poster giveaways/signings as part of American Express mall promotions(Garden State Plaza Mall, NJ and King of Prussia Mall, PA)

November Debut of new Sir Real Refrigerated Fresh Pasteurized juices for the produce section at all 22 D`Agostino Supermarkets in NYC and other top food retailers in NY Metro area. "Sir Real enters the Orange juice business".

August 12 - Sept.2Mixed Up Gallery 29 west 17th Street. Group show, 21 works of art including debut of Original collage, “You Know What They say” and debut of 3 mosaic artworks collaboration with Mixed Up Mosaic (Provenzano-Goldenstein) Studio.

November 19 - mid-DecemberThe Gettysburg Address Tour, opening on the 140th Anniversary of the famous speech. A Sidewalk Art Show at 7 venues around NYC featuring the debut of “The Gettysburg Address” poster at locations such as Union Square, the Guggenheim Museum, Times Square, Columbus Circle, the Upper West Side, and Washington Square Park/NYU.

Cos Cob Elementary School 3 part collage workshop program coordinated by Janet Clausi and the Greenwich Arts Council (Frank Juliano) Began the Pledge of Allegiance series at this workshop.

March 31- April 26

Solo Show at The Children's Museum of the Arts in SoHo, “Cerealism & Other Epic collages” Coverage included Time Out NY, Good Day New York, Channel 5 (Wed April 14, 8 am), 1010 WINS News Radio Time Out NY Week, Urban Baby. Collage workshops April 4, 10, 15*, & 18. *Home Schooling Day

Sat April 24

Grand Central Terminal NYC Earth Fair, as a guest of Earth Day New York, had a booth for an art show of posters & ran a collage workshop/table “taking recycling to a higher plane”

MA at Dan Latner's office, circa 2004

Sun April 25

Edwin Gould Services Children's Artageous Event worked side by side with fellow artists Jeff Koons, Charles Fazzino, Romero Britto, Marco, and others to create an artwork with the help of Foster kids. Created collage “The Pledge of Allegiance” for their fundraising Auction on May 24.

Met Graham Nash in NYC and gave him an original collage of a lyric from his song "Wild Tales" Spring 2004.

April 19

First shipment of re-launch of Sir Real organic Lemonade for 2004 summer season

April 26

New Sir Real Organic Orange Juice & Organic Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit juice launched In New York City area. New labels, produced by Kennesaw Fruit & Juice.

May 3- June 1

Art to the Avenue event Greenwich Arts Council Greenwich CT. Starbucks Coffee (21 works of art including the Starbucks Four Seasons) on Greenwich Ave. Opening event Thursday May 6.

May 10

Collage workshop at School in Cherry Hill, NJ for 500 students Organized by Jennifer Brooks.

Westchester Arts Council- “Before & After: Imagining public art in Westchester ” Creation of painted park bench (did Sir Real Lemon man theme) as part of a group exhibition. Collage workshop June 5 as part of a Family program in downtown White Plains, NY .

Art-is-Zen Gallery New Hope, PA opens, MA is a featured artist in this brand new Art Gallery owned by Sherry & Brian Hanck. Showing a selection of originals, limiteditions, posters & limitedition art merchandise. This relationship continues until May 2007.

October 15

Met Martin Luther King 3rd at The Natural Products Expo East in Washington DC . Have photo from this meeting.

Sir Real co-sponsors Katonah Museum of Art Family day with donation of Apple Cider.

December 1

Daily News p. 48 “Little Luxury : Sir Real reveals his main squeezes” by Rosemary Black. “Just as you can't compare apples and oranges, so you can't compare ordinary fruit juice to the all-natural, organic , freshly squeezed fruit juices from Sir Real. The company is owned by Michael Albert, an artist who has been showing his Modern Pop Art creations around town for several years…. “

December 19

Poster giveaway signing at ArtisZen, New Hope, PA

December 23

Introduced 3 new Sir Real T-shirt designs (line drawings in various colors on black shirts with the slogans, “Do the Ripe Thing”, “Life is a Bowl of Cherries” and “Sir Real Eye Have A Dream”) produced with Social Tees E4 St, NYC (Robert) . Gave over 200 them out to customers, friends, family & associates as holiday gifts.

MaughumSchool Tenafly, NJ workshop with 5th Grade Class. Created a collage with the class based on Friendship, “To have A Friend One Must Be A Friend” which was the class’s gift to the school. Finished the piece on 31305.

Started painting “Faces” Mural in Fairway 74th Street & Broadway in newly expanded Organic section. Arranged by Paul Weiner. A black on white painting of portraits of hundreds of (more than a thousand) faces of Fairway customers, workers, and made-up faces. Many ‘models’ who posed to be on “The Wall” received FREE prints as a gift for participating. Continued working on this project for remainder of 2005 & was 90% done by January 2006.

September

Printed 4 new limitedition posters in an 11” X 17” size format at Signmasters, Inc.; The Number Pi (2005), from ‘I Am The Walrus’ (2004), The Empire State Building (2000), and ‘An Artist’s America’ title page (2005)

Fall 2005

Made numerous “Artist Appearances/ Sir Real Juice Demos” where with the purchase of one bottle of juice customers could choose a limitedition MichaelAlbert print as a FREE gift. These demos took place at key accounts around the NY Metro area including Whole Foods (Edgewater, NJ, Red Bank, NJ, Madison, NJ, NYC (Union Square, Chelsea, and Columbus Circle), Greenwich, CT, and White Plains, NY, Jericho, L.I., NY) Fairway Market Uptown, several Kings Supermarkets, And Gourmet Garage.

‘From the Art of New York’ benefit at the WorldFinancialCenter in Lower Manhattan for the victims of Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans sponsored by NY-1 and founded by Stephanie Simon. Donated Flag (silkscreen edition of 49) printed in 2000 to the exhibition & auction as well as Sir Real juices.

One man show at DT/UT coffee bar & lounge owned by Robert Sternbach (who had a show in 1995 at his then restaurant Positively 104th Street on Broadway bet 104-105th Streets.) This Show continued through July 1 when DT/UT Closes after 13 years in business. Art gets caught up in Landlord battle.

Artrageous Gala event & art auction to benefit the Edwin Gould Services for Children & families 'All You Need is Love' collage sold for $2,250.00

June 10

Puerto Rican Day Parade, NYC photographed by Robin Tucker, gave out hundreds of the new Puerto Rican Flag collage prints at parade including to Ricky Martin, NY Governor Elliot Spitzer, and Edward Cardinal Egan, the Archbishop of New York who sent a Thank You note dated June 12.

Photos by Artist/Photographer Robin Tucker, June 2007.

June 12

Museum Mile : Made brief unofficial appearance near The Jewish Museum before the heavy rain came pouring down (and was asked to leave by the police!)

August 13-Sept 30 Exhibition of 14 original works of art at the Boston Children's Museum, Boston, Mass. Cereal box collage workshop on August 22nd. Working with Bridget Matros during Green Month (Aug) and Collage month (Sept)

October Teaching various art classes in the fall at the Mamaroneck Avenue School & the Art Center of NJ in Summit,NJ

October 26 Assembly for "Make A Difference Day" Spoke to a group of over 200 eighth grade students & their teachers about the connection between Art & Recycling at the H.C. Chittenden School Armonk, NY

Fall Several Sunday afternoon appearances, Modern Pop Art Show & Free Poster Giveaway infront of the Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC Oct-Dec

November Cosi Purchase Street Rye, New York 14 works of artCosi Livingston, NJ 7 works of artCosi Morristown, NJ 7 works of art

May 31 completed new 32" X 40" "Epic" work that took over 100 hours to complete, "Map of the USA" (2008)

May 2008 "An Artist's America" featured in Children's Book of the Month Club catalog.

May 29,30 Quaker Ridge Elementary School International Art Festival, Assembly, collage workshop & creation of a 20" X 30" masterwork that took 30 hours to complete (12 hours at scool & 18 more hours at the studio) "Map of Westchester"

June 8 New Canaan Library, New Canaan, CT Book signing & Collage workshop. Books provided by Elm Street Books. Created an original collage which was given to the library, worked with Rose Marie Zaharek

September 2-November 2 Boston Children's Museum Boston, MA Group Exhibition "I See Trees" 5 original collages displayed: 4 "Brandscapes" & the famous poem "I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree..." by Joyce Kilmer framed in Bob Mazzola's handmade wooden frame

September 15 NY Times CityRoom Blog "That's One Big Map of M-A-N-H-A-T-T-A-N" by Jenny 8. Lee

September 27 WCBS AM radio 880 interviewed by Westchester based correspondent Catherine Cioffi at home/studio on Friday Sept 25--a short human interest segment about local artist mentioning cereal box collages & exhibits at 9 local Cosi restaurants. The segment was on the radio several times of the course of the day which was also the day the NY Yankees clinched their division and the game was played in it's entirety on this station

October 1-31 Scarsdale Public Library One Man Show & Book events 35 artworks exhibited

October 22 The Woman's Club of White Plains Art Show- entered one artwork, "The First Day" 20 X 30 original collage

October AOL corporation headquarters on Astor Place in NYC framing posters to display in their executive area (neighbor Ed Vizoskie connection), NY Law School on Worth Street NYC displaying MA art in newly renovated Teacher's Lounge and classrooms (met on street Sept 13), PVH fashion company displaying posters in their executive area (Signmasters/Sid Edwards- connection)

October 23 BOCES Technical High School Yorktown Heights, NY -spoke to 2 classes of Adevertsing Art & Design students from numerous districts from 8am-10am about art, business & process. Worked with Sandra Garofalo.

October 24 Greenwich Country Day School Greenwich, Ct Collage workshop & Artist visit 5-6:30pm for their 350.org event

October 29 Freedom's Feast Dinner Plate art event with the Children's Museum of Manhattan --designed a plate to be displayed in November/December

November 18 Brooklyn Public Library Main branch 10:30 am "An Artist's America" Book event --presentation to 50 Fifth graders from Park Slope. All got a copy the book, there was a raffle of a set of posters for the students & we discussed Art for 2 hours. Worked with Deloris McCullough

November 19-December 30 Matted LIC One Man gallery show 4636 Vernon Blvd. Long Island City --Debuted "Greetings from Long Island City" artwork created for Matted LIC owners, David & Donna Drimer Opening reception Nov. 19 6-8pm--recital of The Gettysburg Address 7pm. Sold "Revolutionary idea" (Female Mt. Rushmore, created January 2009)

November 19 Recited The Gettysburg Address on WBAI 99.5 FM radio with Hugh Hamilton at 4:45pm

January 12 Mount Tom Day School New Rochelle, NY Artist visit 12-2pm Kindergartners who created 'Cerealism' after learning about it when reading 'An Artist's America'.

January 13, 14 Wampus Elementary School Armonk, NY return visit. 2 day program with eleven Third grade classes created 15" X 20" collage-collaborations of their quotes about sustainability. Assembly & 6 workshops each day. 8 yr old Jane Albert accompanied me the 2nd day and spent most of the day with Sasha Davies (Albert's next door neighbor across the street) class

January 15 Matted L.I.C. Poetry reading 'Open Mike' with Mary & John at end of the 2 month-long exhibition. MA read 7 poems.

March 10 Lawrence High School Lawrence, Long Island, NY All day Artist-in-residence visit with Middle School & High School students (Mrs. Fern Lambroza (Albert's 9th grade Art teacher), now retired & who happened to be substituting assisted!!)

March 13 Mamaroneck High School Art & Antique Fair 9am-3pm created original works & sold posters & books (worked with Susan Levine)

October 15 First meeting with BJ's Wholesale Club Natick, MA for Sir Real juice

October 20 Bi-Cultural School Stamford, CT creation of 3 collages (Map of Israel) with classes to be auctioned off at their fundraiser November 7 (went back & helped complete one of the 3 MAP OF ISRAEL collages Nov. 2)

October 25 First Meeting with Buyers at BJ's Wholesale for Sir Real Juice & possible other projects

November 2010

November

November 7, 2010 - January 3, 2011 Fairfield Public Library Fairfield, CT Art Exhibition in the Bruce Kershner Gallery with program

November 5 Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority Awards Dinner 6:30pm--created original collage for honoree "Freeholder Jack Schrier" commission (Penny Jones) received the "Thinking Out of the Box" award

Artswestchester Gala Fundraising Event worked with Diane Roth & MA created an original "Map of Westchester" collage 32 X 40" LIVE at the event which was auctioned and purchased to be hung in the Westchester County Executive's office-met Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett. The art was completed over the next week at MA studio.

ArtsWestchester gala event at Westchester Pavillion Mall 6-10pm

Completed "Map of Westchester" 32" X 40"

Completed "Woodstock" 40" X 60" original Collage Composition

Completed MAP of the USA (#2) 32" X 40"

November 20 SAR Academy Riverdale, NY Art discussion with 1st graders 11:50am-12:30pm -part one of two part Art enrichment visit

Newtown Congregational Church The Joy (Hoffman) of Art program for Sandy Hook families 2-5pm. Ran an open collage workshop & poster giveaway with Joy Hoffman of Fairfield, CT.

Map of Westchester, N.Y. Nov/Dec2013

DECEMBER

December 7,8 Art league of Long Island Holiday Fair Dix Hills, NY Open Collage workshop and Holiday Art Sale

March 13 (Thursday) Caldwell College Jennings Library Caldwell, NJ Noon-1pm Artist talk in Library as part of their Pi Day celebration (Nancy Becker)

March 14 (Friday) Pi Day celebration at MoMATH National Museum of Mathematics 11 East 26th Street NYC All Day visit -Created an original Pi Collage and sold Pi merchandise at the gift shop (Roy Summer)

March 22 (Saturday) Scarsdale Middle School Young Writer's Workshop 9am-Noon

October 16 St. Louis County Public Library Prairie Commons branch 10am

St. Louis County Public Library Weber Rd. branch 4pm

October 17 St. Louis County Public Library Bridgeton Trails branch 10am

October 18 St. Louis County Public Library Samuel C. Sachs branch 10am

St. Louis County Public Library Mid County branch 2pm

October 21-23 Exhibition Group Show at the Women's Club of White Plains, NY 58th Annual Art Exhibition - 1 collage displayed in Mixed Media Category "Joyce Kilmer Poem about Trees"

October 23 Video taped short segment in NYC for INTA (International Trademark Association) Conference in November- created a Music Leaders collage 16" X 20" to be made into an interactive game for this INTA event taking place in Phoenix on November 12 (David Perry, Ryan O'Donnell)

October 24 (Friday) Genuine Arts Madison Montessori Madison, NJ School visit & Create an Artwork with students for fundraiser for the school (Terry Armstrong)

November 5 Hamburg Area Middle School Windsor Street Hamburg, PA Morning 9am- Noon Large Assembly/presentation by grade level & Hamburg Area High School Afternoon 12:30-3:30pm Small group presentations/Hands-on Workshops in the Art Room

November 5 Reading Public Library Northeast branch Artist/Author Visit & after school program 5-7pm

January 14 Alec Litvak's Bar Mitzvah Rockland County, NY 5-10pm (Alec's parents: Eric & Jennifer) **Special event - created an original 15" X 20" collage for a Veteran's Home "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave"